Despite renewed calls by the public to secure the state's elections, majority Democrats on a House committee shut down a proposal Thursday to require proof of citizenship for those seeking to vote.

On a party-line vote, the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee killed the Republican-authored House Bill 1177, which would have required people registering to vote to show one of several commonly held forms of identification to prove citizenship.

The bill's sponsors--Republican Rep. Frank McNulty, of Highlands Ranch, and Senate GOP leader Andy McElhany, of Colorado Springs--expressed dismay at the vote.

“We have an obligation as state lawmakers to protect the integrity of our voting process against election fraud,” McNulty said.   “I am saddened by the fact that Democrat leadership made this common sense proposal a partisan issue. ”

McElhany expressed near-disbelief at the action by House Democrats.

"You would think this was one issue that both parties could agree on," he said.

"People of every political persuasion are more concerned than ever about the security of the whole election process," he said. "Yet, some Democrats over in the House refuse to take one of the most basic precautions--asking voters to demonstrate that they actually are entitled to vote."

The top elections official in McElhany's own El Paso County--the state's most populous--testified in favor of HB 1177after having raised the issue in the media last fall. Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink said clerks lack the tools to check the identity of those who are voting, and he called for a comprehensive, statewide policy.

“Could I be violating the law by registering people (to vote) just because people tell me they are (citizens),” Balink said during his testimony before the committee.  “Yes I could be.  That is my concern.”

Sen. Andy McElhany

Rep. Frank McNulty

Balink mentioned several instances in Colorado in which people who were not U.S. citizens had registered to vote.  He also said his office surveyed the public about requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.  More than 97 percent of those who responded supported the idea, Balink said.

In a November news report, Balink had told the Colorado Springs Gazette, "A (Democrat) party agenda here in the state says access to the ballot for everyone is more important than determining their eligibility. That’s nuts in my mind."

The Denver Post acknowledged Balink's concerns in a November editorial supporting additional safeguards on voter registration.

"Frankly, it doesn't seem like a lot to ask to ensure that only citizens vote in U.S. elections," the editorial concluded.

House Bill 1177 would have required all Coloradans registering to vote after July 1, 2008 to provide one of several documents to prove their eligibility to vote.  The commonly held documents outlined in the bill included birth certificates, U.S. passports, naturalization documents, or other forms identified by the federal government as proving citizenship.